Ordinary folks assembled extraordinary art collection
How two ordinary people collected an amazing art collection in their one bedroom apartment.
"You don't have to be a Rockefeller to collect art. I thought I was rich having good art," said Mr. Vogel
To build their collection, the Vogels purchased small pieces created by relatively unknown artists.
"They really bought what they liked, and they weren't so concerned about market value," said Sarah Urist Green, assistant curator of contemporary art for the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
…the Vogels' story holds a lesson for anyone interested in collecting art -- regardless of budget constraints.
"If you go out and you dedicate yourself to getting to know what's happening with young artists and emerging artists and what's happening in your community, I think opportunities can present themselves," said Green.
"Dorothy and Herb talk about how much they enjoyed living with this art, and thinking about it," Green said.
Despite their vast collection, the Vogel's weren't wealthy when they started buying art in the 1960s. They purchased pieces from emerging artists, which allowed them to amass such a large collection. Since then, many of those artists have become renowned.
"I thought I was rich having good art," said Mr. Vogel, who delights in showing up at openings exuberantly "clashed," as he puts it, in plaid pants and a houndstooth overcoat. "We never bought anything because we thought it was important. We bought things we liked. It's not about price. It's about feeling."
Mrs. Vogel says: "How do you put a price on something, or someone, that is close to you?"
The story of the Vogels is like a fairy tale," said Mr. Tuttle, who is represented in their collection more than 350 times over. "Maybe people don't want to figure out the fairy tale." In this fairy tale, he says, the so-called postal clerk happens to have "a pedigree that goes back to the Abstract Expressionists."
…The curator says it is impossible to estimate the monetary value of the collection. Some of the artists represented, like Mr. Tuttle, Mr. LeWitt and Mr. Mangold, now sell their work for tens of thousands of dollars.
When choosing where to put much of their collection...
Money did have something to do with the Vogels' choosing the National Gallery. "They've never sold a painting," Mr. Vogel said. "And admission is free."
http://michaelorwick.blogspot.com/http://www.michaelorwick.com/ My art hints at a story and then invites you to finish the narrative. My style has been called Inspired Expressionism, which combines impressionistic brush strokes and a touch of realism to create the atmosphere and lighting woven into my work.
Ordinary folks assembled extraordinary art collection
Collecting Art, The Vogel Way
How to very ordinary people overtime ammassed a fantastic art collection in their one bedroom apartment.
"You don't have to be a Rockefeller to collect art. I thought I was rich having good art," said Mr. Vogel
To build their collection, the Vogels purchased small pieces created by relatively unknown artists.
"They really bought what they liked, and they weren't so concerned about market value," said Sarah Urist Green, assistant curator of contemporary art for the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
…the Vogels' story holds a lesson for anyone interested in collecting art -- regardless of budget constraints.
"If you go out and you dedicate yourself to getting to know what's happening with young artists and emerging artists and what's happening in your community, I think opportunities can present themselves," said Green.
"Dorothy and Herb talk about how much they enjoyed living with this art, and thinking about it," Green said.
Despite their vast collection, the Vogel's weren't wealthy when they started buying art in the 1960s. They purchased pieces from emerging artists, which allowed them to amass such a large collection. Since then, many of those artists have become renowned.
"I thought I was rich having good art," said Mr. Vogel, who delights in showing up at openings exuberantly "clashed," as he puts it, in plaid pants and a houndstooth overcoat. "We never bought anything because we thought it was important. We bought things we liked. It's not about price. It's about feeling."
Mrs. Vogel says: "How do you put a price on something, or someone, that is close to you?"
The story of the Vogels is like a fairy tale," said Mr. Tuttle, who is represented in their collection more than 350 times over. "Maybe people don't want to figure out the fairy tale." In this fairy tale, he says, the so-called postal clerk happens to have "a pedigree that goes back to the Abstract Expressionists."
…The curator says it is impossible to estimate the monetary value of the collection. Some of the artists represented, like Mr. Tuttle, Mr. LeWitt and Mr. Mangold, now sell their work for tens of thousands of dollars.
Money did have something to do with the Vogels' choosing the National Gallery. "They've never sold a painting," Mr. Vogel said. "And admission is free."
Selected quotes form http://query.nytimes.com/
All the best,
Michael Orwick
Orwick Arts
http://michaelorwick.blogspot.com/http://www.michaelorwick.com/ My art hints at a story and then invites you to finish the narrative. My style has been called Inspired Expressionism, which combines impressionistic brush strokes and a touch of realism to create the atmosphere and lighting woven into my work.
